Sports
2017, Most Defining Year For Nation’s Football House – Olajire
The Director of Media and Communications, Mr Ademola Olajire, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has described 2017 as the most defining year for the nation’s Football House following the expectations and successes recorded.
Olajire made this known in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, while reflecting on the activities of the football house for 2017. He said that the past year was one of the toughest tests for the football house in its resolution to move football to the next level.
Olajire said 2017 was a fruitful and eventful year with many landmark achievements recorded, adding that 2018 would be better.
“It has been a defining year for NFF, because of the high expectations; this is so because many people expected us to falter during the World Cup qualifications.
“It is true that we are placed in the group many referred to as “Group of Death, but we survived taking the sole ticket with a match to spare, that is a notable achievement.
“It is instructive to know that the Super Eagles qualified for the double header, The CHAN 2018 and the 2018 World Cup in Russia. These are some of the positives for the year 2017.
“In the political arena, the President of NFF was voted into the CAF Executive Committee, and was also made member of the CAF Emergency Committee and Organising Committee of FIFA,’’ he said.
Olajire said the football house would build on the successes recorded in 2017 to do better in 2018, adding that it would ensure a decent outing for the Eagles at the World Cup.
“We need to build on the successes of 2017 to achieve better this year, because other countries are also watching us; so we need to be at our best and keep working hard.
“All the departments of NFF are working; from the boardroom to the administrative staff, we want to achieve success even as the Eagles are preparing for the World Cup.
“The NFF is on top of the Eagles preparations and also the CHAN Eagles that participated in the Super Six tournament. That is the first phase of their preparation.
“The second phase of the preparation for the CHAN Eagles is already going on in Abuja where training is intensified, work is ongoing before they will depart for Morocco,’’ he said.
Liverpool’s season of abject misery worsened as they were beaten with embarrassing ease by a hugely impressive Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s Premier League champions were looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Manchester City, but instead ran into a Forest side revitalised under new manager Sean Dyche and looking back to their best.
Liverpool head coach Slot gave £125m British record signing Alexander Isak a start, but he was totally anonymous once more and only lasted 67 minutes.
Forest went ahead after 33 minutes when defender Murillo shot powerfully past fit-again Liverpool keeper Alisson to subdue an already anxious Anfield.
Igor Jesus had a second ruled out for handball, but Forest doubled their advantage 39 seconds after the break when former Liverpool defender Neco Williams set up Nicola Savona for a crisp finish in front of The Kop.
Liverpool could barely raise a response in a desperate display, Forest increasing their lead 12 minutes from time when Morgan Gibbs-White scored after Alisson saved from Omari Hutchinson.
It means Liverpool, who lie 11th before Saturday’s late fixture, have now lost six of their past seven Premier League games as Slot’s near £450m summer spending spree comes under further scrutiny.
Forest, meanwhile, are surging away from the relegation zone and are up to 16th.
Michael Olise scored twice and provided a hat-trick of assists as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came from two goals down to thrash Freiburg.
The visitors stunned the defending champions by taking a 2-0 lead after just 17 minutes when Yuito Suzuki scored from close range and Johan Manzambi rose highest to head home Jan-Niklas Beste’s corner.
Bayern, who had not lost in the league since March, responded superbly and had restored parity by half-time.
Teenager Lennart Karl fired into the bottom corner from Olise’s pass in the 22nd minute and set up the Frenchman for a fierce finish in first-half injury-time, although Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu should have done better.
Bayern took control in the second period as Dayot Upamecano headed home Olise’s corner to put them ahead for the first time.
England captain Harry Kane netted his 14th league goal of the campaign on the hour mark, before Olise made it three assists when he threaded a pass through for Nicolas Jackson to finish at the first time of asking in the 78th minute.
Winger Olise completed a sensational afternoon with his second of the game six minutes later, driving at the Freiburg defence and curling into the far corner.
A 10th victory in the first 11 games left Bayern eight points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, while Freiburg remain 10th in the standings.
Vincent Kompany’s side visit Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday with both sides having a perfect record of four wins so far in the league phase of the competition.
AS FAR Morocco Win African Women’s Champions League (8)
AS FAR held firm to beat debutants ASEC Mimosas 2-1 in the African Women’s Champions League final and become continental champions for the second time.
Hanane Ait El Haj put the Moroccan club ahead from the penalty spot in the 13th minute after Safa Banouk had been tripped by Aboa Yapo.
ASEC Mimosas rallied after the break and Ami Priscal Diallo netted a fine header from Sopie Brou’s cross to drag the Ivory Coast club level 10 minutes into the second half.
But AS FAR were handed a second spot-kick in the closing stages when Noura Diarra committed a rash challenge on Sofia Bouftini.
This time it was Zineb Redouani who stepped up to stroke home in the 85th minute and restore her side’s lead.
Asastasie Gbehi came close to forcing extra time but she poked wide of the post in stoppage time, and the centre-back was sent off after the full-time whistle for dissent.
AS FAR move level with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns as two-time winners of the title, having first lifted the trophy in 2022.
The Rabat-based side will now take on Chinese’s Wuhan Jiangda on 14 December for a place at next year’s Fifa Women’s Champions Cup.
The winner of that match will face European champions Arsenal in the semi-finals of the inaugural competition early next year in London.
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